


misnomer

by frausorge



Series: fourteen wins [1]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: 5+1 Things, Los Angeles Kings, M/M, San Jose Sharks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-11
Updated: 2016-10-11
Packaged: 2018-08-21 21:14:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8260690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frausorge/pseuds/frausorge
Summary: Five words the media used to describe Jonathan Quick, and one word they used to describe Martin Jones.





	

[ **teacher** ](http://www.dereferer.org/?http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elatimes%2Ecom%2Fsports%2Fkings%2Fla%2Dsp%2Dkings%2Dsharks%2D20151008%2Dstory%2Ehtml%20)

Martin learned a lot in LA, but not primarily from Jon. Jon's body type isn't the same as his, and Jon's style definitely isn't his. He knows that he's young, that he should keep himself open to new ideas. But he's also been doing this long enough to understand roughly what works for him and what doesn't, and doing what Jon does was never going to take Martin where it took Jon. He watched Jon closely, but not with the aim of mimicking him. 

[ **mentor** ](http://www.dereferer.org/?http%3A%2F%2Fsharks%2Enhl%2Ecom%2Fclub%2Fnews%2Ehtm%3Fid%3D880350)

There are guys out there who take an active interest in their backups' careers, who give them advice, put their names forward, promote their cause. Those are generally established veterans starting to feel their age who are glad enough for a rest every so often. Jon is established in his role, for sure, but he fights fiercely for every start, every game, every minute. He never gave up an inch to Bernier or Scrivens, and certainly not to Martin. 

[ **tandem mate** ](http://www.dereferer.org/?https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Enhl%2Ecom%2Fsharks%2Fvideo%2Fpost%2D69%2Dburns%2Dcouture%2Djones%2Ft%2D277437430%2Fc%2D44185803)

Martin doesn't waste time on pointless comparisons, so he doesn't take any special interest in Antti Niemi's performance in Dallas, but of course there are plenty of guys in the room who do. He overhears a fair amount of chatter about how the Stars are using Niemi and Lehtonen, the pros and cons of rolling a true, equally distributed goalie tandem. Martin wouldn't know.

[ **stablemate** ](http://www.dereferer.org/?http%3A%2F%2Fbigstory%2Eap%2Eorg%2Farticle%2F127991a99a90498da6f2c6ee3d48af35%2Frested%2Dsharks%2Dready%2Dface%2Drolling%2Dpredators%2D2nd%2Dround)

Their stalls were next to each other in the locker room, but that's really as far as Martin cares to take that turn of phrase. Any further would lead to images of bridles and bits and plugs that end in tails, and Martin's just not into that. No disrespect to anyone who is, but he'll pass. (He can appreciate a well-placed crop, but that's unrelated.)

[ **pal** ](http://www.dereferer.org/?http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eespn%2Ecom%2Fnhl%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15173805%2Flos%2Dangeles%2Dkings%2Dvs%2Dsan%2Djose%2Dsharks)

Martin has plenty of friends among his former teammates. He texts and skypes with his Manch boys all the time, plus a looser circle of guys who aren't in touch as often but will happily chirp him before they play each other and drink with him after. 

Jon texted him the day after the regular season ended, when the Ducks' last win had sent the Kings into second place to face the Sharks. Martin blinked at the name when it lit up his phone.

_good luck_ , Jon had written.

_thx_ , Martin answered after a minute. _same 2 u_

Then it was back to radio silence.

 

[ **winner** ](http://www.dereferer.org/?http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Etheglobeandmail%2Ecom%2Fsports%2Fhockey%2Fmartin%2Djoness%2Ddisciplined%2Dstyle%2Dmaking%2Dall%2Dthe%2Ddifference%2Dfor%2Dsan%2Djose%2Farticle30227646%2F)

The handshake line is the closest Martin's been to Jon's body in a year. He takes one deep breath of the particular, still achingly familiar smell of Jon's sweat. He gets one look at the locks of hair stuck to Jon's forehead and the scruff of beard beginning around Jon's mouth. He gets Jon's palm warm against his for a moment, and Jon looking him in the eye just long enough to say "Good job, good luck." Then it's over. Jon has dropped his hand and moved on.


End file.
